Tractor.



R. H. WHITE.

TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC-20.19M-

Patented J an.15, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 'M 44 0 C30 1:10 :10 :10 :19 1:19 (:0 E30 R. H. WHITE.

TRACTOR. APPLICATI ON FILED DEC-20. I918.

Patented J an. 15, 1918.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- n. H. WHITE.

' TRACTOR. AIZRLIjtATION FILED DEC-20.19%. 1,253,319.. I Patented Jan. 15,1918.

.4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

n. H. WHITE.

TRACTOR. APPLICAflOK FILED DEC. 20.1916. 1,253,319. j Patented Jan. 15,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JIII lllllll FER/67 115 flaw fi mizz ct/Z325 I UNITED sTAT s'rA OFFICE.

Roman 11. WHITE, or SHAKER HEIGHTS, om'o, Assumes, To THE oLEvnLmn TRACTOR COMPANY, or EUCLID, OHIO, A oonron rlol or 01110;,

TRACTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoLLIN H.. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shaker Heights, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Im rovement' in Tractors,- I of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description. I

This invention relates to what are commonl known as chaln tread tractors;,and

has or its object to provide a cheap, efficient, durable and easily chine of this character.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and pointed out definitely in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l isa' side elemanageable mavation of a tractor which embodies the resent invention; Fig. 2 is'a plan View 0 ---the tractor before the chain treads and motor are applied; Fig. 3 is asectional plane of the gear casing, the section bein in two planes on Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a vertical section in the plane indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 3; Fi 5 isa front view of ends by the the tractor veh1cle,; an Fig. 6 is a-sectional rear view of so much of the vehicle-as is shown in Fig. 2, saidsectio'n being in the plane of line 6-6 on Figf'2.

A rigid rectangular main frame 10 sup ports t e motor 50.- The. gear case extends between and is connected with the two slde members 10, 10"; of said frame, and forms the rear member'of the main frame. The front ends of said side bars are connected'by' a transverse member 10.

At each side tlon frame 20; and these two traction frames ,at their rear ends are hinged to :the rear the mam frame by means of the lat-.

end of erally projecting ends of therear axle 14.

, Each traction frame is composed of two parallel, built-up, vertical beams 21, 22, WhICl'l are rigidly connected at their front yoke. 23. f The rear axle 14 is fixed to the main frame, being clamped to downward extensions 31 .of the as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Eac

projecting end of said rear axle is rotatably Specification or IetteraPatent.

Application flied December 2Q, 1916. SerialNo. 137,964.

the from:

of the mainframe is a trac- I ,belt ma ear case 30,

fitted withi in two alined journal boxes 24 fixedrespectively to the side beams of a traction frame,

wherefore the rear axle serves, as before "respects is of Patented Jan. 15,1918.

stated, as the pivot on which the tractionframes are hinged to the main frame.

The front end of the main frame is supof the two tracshackles 18 with the front ends of the traction frames. I By reason of the described connection between the main frame and the two traction frames, the latter are permitted to have a very desirable degree of independence of movement both with respectto the main frame and with respect to each other.

Associated with each traction frame is a a driving traction wheel 41 which is mounted to rotate on the rear axle between the side members of the traction frame.- Likewise a. flanged traction wheel 42 is id1y1 mounted any suitable construction, embraces the two traction wheels on each side of the. ma-

chine,the links being of such width that they may go between the two flanges 42 of idlingtraction wheel, and be guided thereby. Each rear traction ,wheel 41 is in the rm of a 's rocket which is adapted to engage and dive the associated traction belt. Several wheels 44-are disposed between the side membersof each traction fra me; and the axles 44 of these wheels are rotatably mounted in boxes 45 fixed to These wheels engage the lower leg ,of the tractlon belt, andthereby hel it to support the weight of the machine, an

each traction likewise they increase the traction of the belt upon the ground. The upper stretch of be supported b. a roller 46 mounted the side-members of said traction frames.

10s the motor 75 on each traction" frame between' the side members thereof, and near their front ends,

being inclosed within and mounted on the gear case 30.

This differential gearing includes a differential drum 34 having a ring gear 34", by

means of which the drum ma either direction by the bevel pinion 19 wh1ch may have any suitable connection with the motor. This difierential drum is provided with two oppositely extended elongated hubs case.

1 through these hubs respectivel and are rotatable therein. Gears 36, 3 are respectivel secured to the inner ends of the two driving shafts 33 within said drum. Two

- sets of compensatin pinions 38, 39, are located within this rum and are. rotatably mounted thereon on axes which are parallel ith the axis about which said drum turns.

gage the pinion 36. Likewise the compensatlng pinions of the two sets are grouped in palrs, and a pinion 38 of one set is in mesh with a pinion 39 of the other set.

To the extent-above explained, this differential mechanism is" of familiar form, and 1 is of the sort commonly designated a spur gear difierential.

I 39' -A least one of the pinions 38 is rigidly connected with a shaft 38- which projects out through one end of the differential drum,+ whi'ch shaft has, the gear 52 secured to its outer end. So also is one of the pinions'39 fixed to a'shaft 39 which pro ects through the, other end of the drum, and this -projecting shaft has a gear 53 fixed .to it.

Rptatabl' mounted upon the two hubs 35.

of the di erential drum but held against lo'n""tud-in'al' movement thereon, are two v braie drums 58, 59. The hub 54. of the bfake 58 carries a" pinion iw'hich 'mesheswith the gear 52, while thehub 5e of-tlie brake drum 59 carries a gear 5'? which either of. these "two scribed will function recise'ly like an ordinary spur. "gedfdi-fiitentltll that tof-say the Idtfltion 'offlthl's differential pressure .is applied to drum-.wi sense the we driving Shafts 3a tq turn inithesame direction andin approximate 511'niskjn' ;with'Ieacliflother and the drum butwill'pernjitjthem at sllghtly difner andther'efore cause 1; e tractortg move forward or. backward j. direction Ora-m1;

o5 The tractor is steered, .z'iek caused turn be turned in 35 which are rotatably mounted in said gear The two' driving shafts '33 extend inions' 38 of one set engage the gear 37, w ile the pinions 39 of the other set en' rake drums the de..

- a. s-i ate "*a wdi o circumstances I t The turningiof' these-shafts 33 in one direc-' tion ;or the other will through the engagei 1 theinternal gearon thetractionwheels roa, the traction, belts totrav .jm'the' usua'l manaccording their to right or left by the application of braking ressure to one or the other of the two brake rums 58-, 59. If, for example, braking pressure be applied to the right hand brake drum '59 its rate of rotation will be checked. The result will be, that, as the drum con-' tinues to rotate, the ear 53, by reason of its enga ement with t e pinion 57, fixed to said br e drum will be turned upon its axis, and this will turn the intermeshing compensating pinion 39, and this will cause the gear 36 and right driving shaft 33 to be ositively turned backward in its bearings 1n the hub of the drum. It will not turn backward as fast as the drum is turning forward-wherefore the net result will be that to the drum; that is to say, it will cause the positive rotation of said shaft 33 in the hub of the differential drum; the net result being that the '1 ft driving shaft will rotate faster than the liifi'erential drum. Therefore, the left hand traction wheel and associated traction chain will move much faster than-:the ri ht hand traction wheel and traction belt, wlth'the result that the tractor will. turn to the right. By applying the braking press re to the left hand brake drum the cooperative action of the corresponding arts will cause-the speedof-the left hand driving shaft 33 to be reduced and the speed of the right hand driving shaft 33 to be corresgondingly increased, with the result that t e tractor will turn to the left.

While there are a variety of means whichcould be used to ap ly at will braking pressure to these two' rake drums,- themeans shown for this purpose consists of the following parts," to, w t:'Around each-brake drum is a split brake band 60. 'Tothis brake band, adjacent i ts' ends, two blocks.

61, 62, arefixed. A screw 63 passes throu h and is rotatable in the upper block. 61., -an a j bearing 65. which is a part of the gear case,

-1 and screws'into the lower block 62. A gear 64 is fixed to the upper end of the screw 63. 12c

Therefore, by turnin this screw clockwise the-two ends of the rake' bandare'drawn together and caused togrip, and therefore brakin pressure to the associated to spray brake rum. '1 e screw on the right side of the machine is a right hand screw, while the screw on the left side of left hand screw.

the machine is a ,There are two gears 64, one associated with each of the screw '63. Each gear is,

rection to that in which the inmesh with the adjacent gear 66; and these two gears are respectively in mesh with the gear 67 which is fixed to the lower end of the rotatable steering post 68 mounted on the main frame and provided with a steering wheel, 69, at its upper end. It is evident that by turning this wheel to the right the brake band will be tightened on the right brake drum, and the left hand brake band will be correspondingly loosened; wherefore the traction belt on the left side of the machine will be caused to travel faster than the traction belt on the other side, with the result that the tractor will besteered to the right. By turning the steering wheel to the left the opposite result will'be produced and thetractor will be steered toward the left.

B applying one or theother of the brake band s, more or less, difference-in speeds between the two driving shafts 33, and consequently between the two traction belts on opposite sides of the tractor may be brought about with the result that the tractor may be steered in as wide or as short a curve as is desirable; in fact, the tractor can be made to turn in a circle whose radius is only a little greater than the distance between the outer edges of the two traction belts. v

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a tractor, the combination of two alined driving shafts, difierential gearing therebetween which includes a differential drum having elongated oppositely extended tubular hubs in which said driving shafts are rotatably mounted, means for rotating said differential drum, and means whereby either driving shaft may be positively turned in its bearings in the associated drum hub inthe same direction as that in which the said drum is turnin and whereby the other drivingshaft' will ie positively turned in its bearings in the associated drum hub but in the opposite direction to that in which the Ldrum is turned. 7

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of i a gear casing, a differential drum having two oppositely extended alined tubular hubs which are rotatably mounted in said gear casing, two driving shafts which are respectlvely mounted to rotate in the two drum hubs, differential mechanism mounted upon said difl'erential drum for driving the two driving shafts, and mechanism operable while the drum is rotatingwhereby either driving shaft may be positively turned in its hearing in the same direction as that in'which said drum is turned, and the other driving shaft will be positively turned in its hearings in the associated drum hub but in the opposite didrum is,turned.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combinationof a gear casing, a differential drum having two oppositely extended alined tubular hubs any desired degree of' rear ends to said associated drum in the which are rotatably mounted in said gear casing, two driving shafts which are respectively mounted to rotate in said drum'hubs, two brake drums which are respectively mounted to rotate on the two hubs of said drum, means for applying braking pressure independently to said .two brake drums, and means carried by the differential drum intermediate of said brake drums and driving shafts whereby when the rate of revolution of either brakedrum is checked the corresponding driving shaft will be positively turned in the associated drum hub and in the reverse direction to that in which said drum 1s turning and the other driving shaft will be positively turned in its associated drum hub in the said drum hub is turning.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a gear casing, a differential drum havin two oppositely extended alined tubular hubs which are rotatably mounted in said gear casing, two driving shafts which are respectively mounted to rotate in said drum hubs, gears which are disposed within said drum and are respectively fixed to the inner ends of said driving shafts, a set of compensating pinions mounted in the drum in mesh with one of said gears, a second set of compensating pinions mounted in said drum in mesh with the other gear and with pinions of the other set,one' pinion of each set being secured to tends through an end wall of the drum and base gear on its outer end, two brake drums rotatable upon the hubs of said differential drum each carrying a pinion which pinions respectively mesh with the two gears fixed to the compensating pinions, and means to independently apply the braking pressure o the two brake drums.

5. In a chain belt tractor, the combination" of a main frame, agear case fixed thereto, two traction frames located on opposite sides of the main frame and pivoted near their main frame on alined horizontal transverse axes, a driving sprocket mounted on each traction frame and provided with an internal gear, a second traction wheel mounted in the front end of each traction frame, a chain link belt track embracing each pair of associated traction wheels, -a difl'erential drum havin elongated oppositely extended hubs which are rotatably mounted in said gear case, two driving shafts rotatably mounted in the hubs of said differential drum, pinions on the outer ends of said driving shafts respectively engaging the two internal gears, spur gears respectively fixed to the inner ends of said driving shafts within the gear case, a set of compensating pinions rotatably mounted within said drum and engaging with the gear on the end of one of the driving shafts, another series of compensating pinions rosame direction in which a rotatable shaft which extatably mounted within the drum and engag.

ing with the ,Pinion on the other driving shaft, and with compensating pinions, one compensating pinion of one set being fixed to a rotatable shaft-which projects through one end ofthe difierential drum, a gear fixed to the outer end of each of said shafts, one pinion of the other series of compensatin pinions being also fixed to a rotatable sha t which projectsihrou h the opposite ,end of said drum, two braie' drums res ctively mounted on the two hubs of the di erential mam c of said driving shaftrespectivelyengaging the two internalj gears, spun-gears re tively fixed to the-inner ends of said iving shafts within'the gear case, a set of compensating pinions rotatably .mountedfj; within said drum and engaging with the gear on the end of oneof the driving shafts,

another series of compensating pinions rotadrum,the hub of each drum being pro."

vided with a pinion, which pinions respectively mesh with the two gears securedto said compensating pinions, and means for applying braking pressure to either of said brake drumsat will.

6. In a chain belt tractor, the combination of a main frame, a gear case fixed thereto,

two traction frames located on opposite sides.

of the main frame and pivoted near their rear ends to said main frame on alified horizontal transverse axes, a driving sprocket mounted on each traction frameand provided with an internal gear, a second traction wheel mounted in the front end of each traction frame, a chain link belt track embracing each pair of 'associated' traction wheels, a differential drum having elongated oppositely extended hubs. which are rotatabl mounted in said gear case, two driving sha rotatably mounted in the hubs of said diiferentia-l drum, pinions on the'outer ends tably mounted within the drum and engag-" with the pinion on the other driving s shaft, and with compensating pinions 'o'ne compensating pinion ofone set being fixed toa rotatable shaft which projects through,

one end of the differential drum, a gear fixed to the outer end of each of said shafts, one pinion of the other series of co'mpensatin pinions being also fixed to a rotatable sha which projects through the opposite end of said drum, two. brake ,.drums respectively mounted on the two hubs of the differential drum,the hub of each drum being pro vided with a pinion, gvhich pinions respectively mesh with thetwo gears secured to said compensating'pinions, a steering post ing post trains of carrying a gear, two trains of gears simul f taneously operable by the gear on the steerand mechanism'op'erable by said 7 gears-for applying braking presi sure'to one of said brake drums and for at the same time positively relieving the other brake drum from effective braking pressure.

signature;

68 In testimony h r of, I'hercun'to'aflix my 

